Blood Moon Arising
by MickeyRos
Summary: Sequel to Children of the Wild Ones. The winds of change are coming to Beacon Hills and the newly united Hale Pack Alphas must adapt to survive or suffer the consequences as they face deadly challenges from both sides of their world. [Derek/Ms. Morrell]
1. Prologue

**Summary**: The winds of change are coming to Beacon Hills and the newly united Hale Pack Alphas must adapt to survive or suffer the consequences as they face deadly challenges from both sides of their world.

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

_Six years earlier … _

Peter struggled to carry his 9 year old niece, Cora, through the underground tunnels of the Hale Family home. He was unsure of Talia's fate but hopeful that she had managed to lead everyone else out on the main floor. He had grabbed his youngest niece and ran to the basement stairs that lead to their underground tunnels.

When he arrived at the tunnel opening, he was surprised to find that the old wooden door had been replaced with steel bars. He placed Cora on her feet and attempted to pry the bars apart with his hands. Cora tearfully sobbed as she held onto his waist, squeezing him tightly between her little hands as tears slid down her dirty cheeks and she coughed from the smoke.

"I don't feel her, I can't feel Mama anymore."

Peter stopped struggling with the steel bars to kneel before his niece. "Are you sure? May-maybe, she got out and you can't feel her because she's gone far away from the fire."

"No… no, sh-she's gone," Cora shook her head. "I want my Mama," she cried clutching onto to Peter as she dissolved into a mess of tears and heaving coughs.

Peter lifted her up on his hip and hugged her to him tightly, realizing that for the first time in his life he couldn't feel the ever present link to his older sister. And one by one he felt each of the family members slip away until the only links that remained were those of his nieces and nephew, Talia's children.

"Peter," a hauntingly familiar voice whispered to him. He hadn't heard that voice in two maybe three years. But, it was instantly recognizable to him but as he glanced around he saw nothing just the steel bars and grass.

"Who's there?"

"You know who I am Peter," the voice answered. "I came back, Peter I'm here for you."

"Ju-julia?" Peter stuttered as he examined the area in front of him searching for her, the woman he'd loved who'd left him and had been savagely murdered. "They told me that you died. That you were gone."

"I told you, Peter, I would never leave you. I'm here now, my love. I'm here for you. Only for you and I can help you."

"How? I can't see you."

"I'm bound to this earth. But, if you pledge yourself to me I can break the boundary."

"I can't see you. I don't know where you are." Peter's half-crazed eyes narrowed as he searched for any sign that he wasn't losing his mind. But, still he could see no one in front of him. Seconds later he felt a change in the air around him, he could feel the presence of another and he knew that he wasn't alone anymore.

"You're the Alpha now, Peter. Do you feel it? The power of the Alpha runs in your veins." As she spoke, Peter felt the change within himself, he felt stronger, more powerful than he'd ever been in his life. His eyes flickered from blue and settled on a fierce red of an Alpha. "Cut your palm, let your blood saturate the ground then pledge yourself to me."

Peter flexed his hand allowing the claws to grow before closing his hand into a fist. He hissed as he felt his claws sink into the palm of his hand. He held his hand out from between the bars watching as the blood dripped onto the ground before him. "With this blood, I pledge my will onto thee, Julia Bachari." Within in seconds, a soft glow appeared before him as a figure in a black hooded cape took shape before his eyes.

"Thank you, Peter," the husky dissembled voice wavered as the hooded figure walked toward him reaching between the bars to caress his cheek. "Your sacrifice will not be in vain and I promise you this, you shall have your vengeance when the time is right, my love."

"What do you when the time is right?" He growled at her. "Talia is gone. My family is dead! They deserve to pay for killing them! They burned us alive, like animals!" He yelled chest heaving in anger as he struggled to remain calm and not upset the Cora. "You said you would help." He snapped.

"And I will, I promise you. But, I am not strong enough yet." The hooded figure turned away briefly before glancing back at Peter. "My time here grows short. The Alpha Pack is coming, give me the young one."

"No! No, I don't wanna go. Uncle Peter, I wanna stay with you." Cora cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.

"Give her to me, Peter and I will see that no harm comes to her." The hooded figure shifted closer to the bars with her arms out.

Peter could smell the fire; feel the intensity of the heat on the back of his neck. He couldn't bear the thought of his youngest niece being separated from him; he knew that he could not trust Deucalion and his pack of Alphas. They had long wanted a Hale amongst their pack and to have a young one, a child that Deucalion could groom into his image is just what he'd always wanted. There was no choice; he had to let her go with Julia to give her a chance to find Laura and Derek. Julia would never let any harm come to her because she was of his blood. He slowly kneel down, gently unraveling Cora's tight hold on him.

"No. No, Uncle Peter—," Cora cried as she fought to get back into his hold.

"Cora!" Peter stalled her using his Alpha voice. "There isn't time to—," he held her hands within his squeezing them in earnest. "Cora, you have to go with Julia. Derek and Laura will come for you, I promise." He gently swiped at the tears that slid down her dirt-smuggled cheek. "Don't ever forget how much, I love you Cora."

Cora sniffled with a quiet cough as she nodded before throwing her small arms around Peter's neck and squeezing tightly.

Peter closed his eyes and committed the scent of his niece to memory as he held her tightly. He felt the gentle breeze of wind and smelt the heavy taint of magic in the air. He opened his eyes to see the bars bend forming an oval small enough for a child to slip through. He pressed a kiss to Cora's temple and dropped his arms from around her. "Go Cora," he commanded quietly.

Cora stepped back swiping the tears from her face as she stepped through the small opening to the hooded figure that held a hand out for her to take. Once she was finally through the bars that bend back to their previous shape.

Peter slowly rose to his feet unaware of the tears that slid down his face. "What now?"

"This," the hand to the hooded figure touched his forehead and instantly Peter dropped down unconscious.

"Peter," Cora screamed as she attempted to reach back for her uncle on to be restrained by the hooded figure.

"Don't worry he's only sleeping. He needs his rest because there is work that has yet to be done." The hooded figured wrapped herself around Cora and they disappeared leaving Peter to the raging fire that had finally caught up to him and ravaged half of his face and body.

* * *

><p>Kali approached Deucalion as he exited the guest bedroom of his condo easing the door closed.<p>

"What is the status?"

"The news is reporting that it was arson, eight dead including Talia. Ennis called and said that Peter is in the hospital in a self-induced coma, partially burned."

"What of the children?"

"Derek and Laura were away at the time of the fire. School mostly likely but they are unharmed. Cora is believed to have perished in the fire."

"Interesting," Deucalion said as he led the way down the hall to his living room with the tapping of his cane. He walked over to his bar and got out two tumblers and a bottle of whiskey. He poured them each a finger of whiskey. Even though, the alcohol had absolutely no effect on him, he had developed a feeling of the burn of the alcohol going down his throat.

"I thought you might think so." Kali replied as she took a seat at the bar. "So," she paused with an arch of her brow. "What's the plan of action?"

Deucalion swallowed his whiskey and placed the tumbler back on the bar. "We wait. We want to see what our little guest will do. I warned Talia that trusting those hunters in this town was tantamount to signing her own death warrant. She was playing with fire and it's of no surprise to me that she got burned. But, still I've always wanted a Hale in my pack and now we have one."

Kali sighed. "She's young and with Laura and Derek still alive it's unlikely that she'll inherit the mantle. Not to mention, that _bastard_ is still alive. We should kill him and I'd like that honor personally."

"While your willingness for brutality is delightful but its' not necessary and your bitterness is unbecoming." Deucalion drawled with an arch of his brow as he stared at her with unseeing eyes. "Peter Hale is danger to no one. The love of his life is dead and his child gone. He is … broken."

"_My_ bitterness is _unbecoming_, that's a bit of an understatement coming from you. Your obsession with Talia with is _unbecoming. _Letting Talia die because she refused your countless overtures is _unbecoming_. So don't lecture me about _my _bitterness. Besides being _broken _is not dead," Kali growled. "And Peter Hale deserves nothing less than death. What if he awakens? Recovers? What then? By all rights, the mantle will cede to him if he's stronger."

"The Hale family hierarchy for the Alpha's mantle is no different than ours. Peter was born an Omega not a Beta. There is only one way for him to take the mantle from Talia's daughter who was born a Beta and that's death. The Peter Hale I know would not kill his own blood for that mantle. We only need one Hale not three."

"And the girl?

"Let's give her time, see what little Cora is made of. Did she tell you how she got out of the fire or why she was roaming the woods?"

"No. She escaped virtually unscathed except for a slowly healing scar on her palm—and she doesn't know how she got that."

"Good, then we'll leave in the morning." Deucalion ordered.

"I'll let Ennis know." Kali nodded as she rose and left the living room.

* * *

><p><em>Six years later …<em>

In an underground root cellar a hooded figure sat on the ground chanting quietly before the Nemeton praying before the roots with a piled of dried leaves coated with blood. As the chanting gradually faded away, the figure eased a hand out of the robe and smiled, marveling at the image of unlined, youthful hands and skin.

"Thank you Hecate, for granting me youth and beauty. I will not fail you. I will avenge the wrongs done against us ... against me."

The petite nurse quietly entered the room of the sleeping patient. It had taken her a few days to find him since they had moved him into hospice care as they didn't expect him to wake up. Little did they know his coma wasn't self-induced; it was spell that only she could undo. It had taken six long years to build up enough power to undo the spell and retain the youthful visage that would allow her to hide in plain sight indefinitely.

With his help, she would be able to seek her vengeance and exact her revenge. But, first she needed all the players back on the board. She placed her palm his forehead and channeled her strength.

"Awaken Peter; your time has finally come."

Peter's eyes snapped open.


	2. 1

**Note**: We're back and now we are dealing with Season 3A of Teen Wolf. Generally, speaking things will be different from the show not everything that happened on the show will happen here. I will be taking liberties and changing things were I see fit. Also, when I started this story, Ms. Morrell did not have a first name so I named her Genevieve. Obviously, now we know that her first name is Marin however, because I had already been using Genevieve as her name I've decided to stick with it.

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

_Three Weeks before the start of new school year …_

Genevieve Morrell sat in the office of the Superintendent of Beacon County School System. The older gentleman sat before her reviewing the latest case file on his desk which was overfilled with files in varying levels of thickness. She was not the first teacher that he'd requested a meeting with prior to the beginning of the school year and based on the files he had piled on his desk she would not be that last.

"Ms. Morrell, I appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to meet with me." The mocha-skinned man finally met her eyes as glanced up from the file from under his low hanging glasses. "As you probably know, before Mr. Argent, the former principal of Beacon Hills High, submitted his resignation he sent the school board numerous complaints about several faculty members, yourself included regarding their conduct on school premises."

"Yes, I've been made aware," Genevieve acknowledged with a nod.

"Good. Now, before we waste our time and _very_ limited resources to conduct an investigation, I thought it would be prudent to address the complaints with each faculty member so we can ascertain if the charges are without merit."

"I understand, but I'm not exactly sure what I've been charged with. I do not, nor have I ever, had an inappropriate relationship with a student. You can check my history I've never had a complaint filed against me."

"Yes, I reviewed your record," the Superintendent glanced at the file on his desk. "According to the complaint, Mr. Argent alleged you had an inappropriate relationship with the minor Isaac Lahey. He states that on numerous occasions you were spotted with the minor outside of your official capacity as a guidance counselor. Are you saying that this allegation is incorrect?"

"Yes, it is."

"Is it true that you visited the minor at his residence staying until late night?"

"No, I have not. And I do not appreciate the implication that I did. If you don't mind my asking, when was I alleged to have spent several hours in his residence?"

"I don't see how that is relevant."

"Well, I do. Are you familiar with Isaac's background?"

"Yes."

"So then you are aware that when his father died Isaac was placed in the custody of a legal guardian."

"Yes," the Superintendent repeated. "But, I do not see how this explains your actions."

"You misunderstand, I am not explaining my actions; I am merely giving you the facts that Mr. Argent obviously didn't see the need to provide. Isaac's legal guardian is Derek Hale. Six years ago, the Hale home was burned down with the family inside. Derek, his sister Laura, and his uncle are the only survivors of that fire which was set by Kate Argent, Mr. Argent's recently deceased daughter."

"I am well aware of history but I fail to see how that matters—,"

"It matters because Derek Hale and I have been seeing each other for four months. Mr. Argent warned me against dating Derek. In fact, he informed me that he didn't think it would be prudent for my career."

"I see. Why didn't you report him?"

"Honestly, I didn't see a need and I didn't take him seriously. Mr. Argent may have been my boss, but he did not have the right to direct my personal life. I'm an adult not child. So yes, I have seen Isaac in Derek's home but I have never spent the night with him in the home. And frankly even if I had that's nobody's business but my own. If you choose to proceed with this investigation, you can expect a call from my attorney who finds it rather curious the school board deemed it appropriate to waste their resources with having someone track my whereabouts outside of school hours."

"Ah, Ms. Morrell, that will not be necessary. Even I can see that this is a frivolous accusation and it will be removed from your record. On the behalf of Beacon County School System, please accept my apologies."

Genevieve nodded as she grabbed her small clutch purse and stood. "Apology accepted. Have a good day, Superintendent Chambers." Without another word, she swept out of the Superintendent's office.

As she waited for the elevator she could hear the Superintendent swear that it was yet another frivolous complaint by Gerard Argent. He asked his secretary how many more of these pointless meetings he was going to have to sit through before lunch. With a small smile, she walked in the elevator and pressed the down button giving no thought to how she could hear conversation half-way down the hallway.

Genevieve exited the Municipal Building and pulled on a pair of sunglasses as she begun to walk toward her parked car. She was vaguely unsurprised to find Derek leaning against her car. He was the picture of perfection as he stood dressed in dark blue jeans that were sculpted to his muscular physique and a short-sleeved blue Henley that was molded to his chest and shoulders. His arms were crossed over his chest as he normal misted forest gaze was hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.

"Hey, I thought you had an appointment with your realtor."

"I rescheduled," he shifted his stance and pulled a slip of paper out of his back pocket. "I thought you said this was nothing."

Genevieve sighed as she pushed the sunglasses up on her head as she took the paper from his hands. She unfolded it to find her request to appear before the Superintendent. She folded the paper back up and met his inquiring gaze. "It was nothing. Gerard apparently left a litany of complaints against several staff members. Everyone was called in to determine the validity before they were thrown out, just like mine was."

"What was he thinking?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say Gerard was planning on replacing the lot of us with hunters. I was never too clear on his ultimate endgame given that he was trying to outrun his own demise. In any case, I think the Superintendent is still trying to figure out how he was put in charge in the first place given his obvious lack of experience."

"Have you given any thought to our discussion … the question I asked you?"

Her eyes widen in surprise. In all truth, she hadn't given any thought to Derek asking her to move in with him. Frankly, she thought it was an overreaction to the summons and was his misguided attempt to protect her. After all, what objection would the County have if Genevieve was spending time in Derek's loft if she lived there? "It was a very kind offer. But, I am oddly traditional in that respect and I don't want to move in with anyone until … I get married," she paused to put a hand up. "Which, by the way, I'm not looking for a proposal and since we're already bonded I don't see the point in getting married."

"I agree that's why I asked you to move in. It's not like you aren't there half the time anyway."

"I know," she hedged quietly as pulled her sunglasses back down to shield her eyes. "But, I like my house."

"I suppose this has nothing to do with what happened a few weeks ago with Isaac?" Derek asked with a cheeky grin as he slid his hands around her waist to pull her closer to him.

Genevieve rolled her eyes as she leaned back. "I thought we agreed to never speak of that again. It's bad enough that the memory is practically branded into my brain and I've been trying to forget. Not to mention that Isaac couldn't look me in the face for a week without blushing. Let's just say I'll consider moving in when Isaac graduates." Derek laughed broadly.

"It's not like he saw anything."

"That's wonderful. It's _never_ going to happen again. Now, since you're here, how about you treat me to lunch?"

Derek released Genevieve with a kiss to her temple as held out his hands for her car keys.

"Where's your car?" She asked as she tossed him the keys and walked around to the passenger side door.

"At the loft," he answered as he opened the car doors with the button on the key fob. He walked to her door and held it open for her. Then, he walked to the driver's seat and slid behind the wheel adjusting the seat as he did so. "What do you want?"

Genevieve settled herself in the passenger seat. "Surprise me."

Derek nodded and pulled off.

* * *

><p>Peter Hale arrived at the burnt site of his ancestral home and waited on the porch. For the past month and a half, he'd come to the house to wait for any sighting or acknowledgement that the Alpha Pack had arrived in Beacon Hills. And so far, he had nothing to show for his efforts but wasted time.<p>

Today, however, would be different. Julia told him to report to house because the Alpha Pack had finally arrived in Beacon Hills. How she knew, he didn't know but like always, he trusted her without fail, her instincts were rarely wrong and she'd never let him down before.

He was leaning on the porch column of the house when he saw her appear just beyond trees. He straightened up immediately, watching as Kali stalked toward him. As she got closer, he felt the change in the air around him. It was stifling as the scent of her power waffled over him. It washed over Peter and he struggled against the sheer force of it, commanding that he kneel before her and expose his neck. His knuckles were white with the strain of his clenched fists as he fought to disobey the command of her presence, his body tense and rigid.

"Peter Hale." Kali growled lowly as she stopped before the porch. Years had, unfortunately been very good to the caramel-skinned Alpha. She was tall and lithely slim with dark brown hair that rested on her shoulders in careless waves. Her eyes flared a bright red as she glanced around the house searching the area. Her slim figure was encased in sleek black pants with low-heeled laced-up calf boots and a stark white tank top that gave off the pretense that she was just a normal woman until one glanced down at her hands and noticed the one and a half inch talons that were raiser sharp.

"Hello, Kali. It's been a long time."

"Not nearly long enough," she drawled as her gaze slowly met his as her eyes returned to their normal dark brown when she realized that no one else was there. "I see you managed to somehow find your way back from the depths of death. A very interesting trick by the way. Care to share how you did it?"

"No."

"That's too bad. Where's Derek?"

"My nephew is … indisposed, but I am here on the behalf of the Hale Pack." Peter replied with such an embellished flourish that Kali rolled her eyes.

"Great. But, I am not here to talk to the _Omega_ of the Hale Pack."

"I'm a _Beta_," Peter interrupted through clenched teeth.

"Oh, are you? Well, I don't give a shit. Omega? _Beta? Po-ta-to Po-tato—_I don't care_. _ I want the Alpha!" Kali turned then to leave but was waylaid when Peter quickly leaped off the porch and made to grab her arm. In a flash, her talons were embedded in his neck. "You dare touch me, _little_ Hale. You forget yourself, Peter. Big sister Talia can't protect you from my wrath anymore," she snarled down at Peter eyes bleeding red.

Peter gurgled slightly as he dropped his hand and Kali slid her talons out of his neck before she turned to leave again. He touched the back of his neck, feeling the cool breeze on the open wound before calling for Kali to stop. "Wait, I know about your guest but Derek doesn't. What would it take for you to release her to me?"

Kali paused spinning around. "Who said anything about a _guest_?"

"I _know_ you have her. Just tell me what it will take for you to release her and I promise I will do anything to get her back."

"Anything, Peter?"

"Yes, anything."

"Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." Kali raised her head with a malicious grin. "We'll need a trade. I understand your nephew has four Betas. We want one here. By sundown."

"And Cora, when will I see her?"

Kali turned away to leave not answering him immediately. "Once you've brought our Beta then we'll see about returning little Miss Cora. And Peter, you better come through or Deucalion won't be pleased." Without another word, Kali faded into the wind.

Peter watched her leave and was unsurprised when Julia appeared beside in her hooded shroud. "I take it you heard?"

"Of course, I did. It's like I told you, they won't release her without a trade. So you need to make a decision on who you can take. May I suggest the outlier in the pack because we need them strong for a while yet."

"The outlier?" Peter repeated contemplatively as he thought about all the members of Derek's pack. Only one of them fit that title. "I know who to take," he replied only to realize that she was gone and he was alone once more. Checking the time on his watch he determined that he only had a few short hours to get everything in place and he took off.

Jackson Whittenmore arrived home from his summer vacation to London with his father and immediately showered, changing into a pair of shorts with a white tank top and pristine running shoes. He forewent returning calls to Derek or Lydia to let them know that he was back in town to take his run.

Sitting on a plane for ten plus hours had him feeling cooped up so he needed a run to feel a release. Plus, he figured a quick run would get him in the proper mindset to deal with Lydia and their inevitable discussion of their relationship. They had officially broken up over the summer mainly because it didn't seem logical to be tied down to one another when they weren't even in the same country for two months.

He left the room grabbing his keys and iPod. As he got to his porch, he took a few minutes to stretch his muscles and secure his keys and iPod before he took off at a light jog with his ear buds jammed in his ears. He'd only gone about a mile away from his home when he spotted Derek's crazy Uncle at the edge of the woods.

"What are you doing here?" He stopped pulling an ear bud out of his ear.

Peter rolled his eyes. "Derek sent me to find you."

"He did?" Jackson asked surprised since he hadn't bothered to call the Alpha and let him that he'd returned. It would just figure that Derek's Alpha powers somehow managed to let the Alpha know he'd come home already. "Can't this wait? I was on that shitty ass plane for ten fucking hours and the last thing I need is Derek's creepy uncle to escort me to meet with those other losers in the pack."

Peter raised his hands in defense. "Hey, take that up with your Alpha. I'm just the messenger. Derek asked me to stop by as a favor and let you know that everyone was meeting at the old house. They're waiting for you."

"That burned down old, shack? Why aren't we meeting at the loft?"

"Oh you know, Derek. He's a creature of habit."

"Fine, whatever." Jackson sighed as he shifted to begin the walk toward the woods. Peter followed behind him.

They were quiet as they walked the rest of the way to the half-burnt home. But, when they arrived no one was there.

"What gives? Where's Derek?" Jackson asked turning around to find that Peter was no where insight. Instead, a tall statuesque woman in all black stood before him. But, what caught him off guard and made him unconsciously take a step back were her glowing red eyes.

"Your Alpha's not here. But, not to worry there's more than enough to go around." Kali hissed around her lengthening fangs. Jackson instinctually began backing away from her and collided with the broad chest of another man behind him. He started as he was lifted off the ground by his shoulders and went sailing through the air as if he weighed nothing. He landed roughly on his back.

"Now, Ennis that's no way to treat our new charge, after all we don't want to damage him."

Groaning Jackson blinked quickly to clear his swimming vision to see an extremely tall man with long black wavy hair that rested back his shoulders. He had a smooth olive complexion and his left arm was covered from shoulder to wrist with a tribal tattoo. He was dressed much like the woman in black with glowing red eyes.

"Ah Kali, I think I've scared him stupid," Ennis said as he threw back his head with a deep laugh.

Jackson could do nothing but watch as the black boots got closer and closer to him before disappearing into the air for the moment and landing in a crouched hovering above him with her talons embedded in his neck.

"Not yet, love. We need to keep some sense to him, so I can make him talk. Or better yet. I'll make him scream." Kali said as she trailed his talons down his neck to his chest, shredding his shirt.

"Why are you doing this?" Jackson asked tartly as he watched Kali run her talons over his exposed chest.

"Because I can. And since your Alpha has ignored my calls, it's time to leave a more _personal_ message. A permanent message. Ennis, be a dear and hold him down for me while I draft a letter."

The tall broad-shouldered man placed his left hand on Jackson's shoulder while Kali pressed a single talon into his chest, piercing his skin. "Now Jackson, that's your name, right?" Kali didn't wait for a response her smile unfurling to a feral grin. "I want to hear you scream!"

Jackson roared in pain.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: So I have taken some liberties with the Alpha Pack recasting some of the members and changing some things about them. One, Kali is known for her deadly talons, _not_ her toe nails. Two, Ennis and the twins have been recast. For Ennis I used a wrestler by the name of Roman Reigns, Google him if you don't know who that is, you'll thank me later. Good news – I am about ten chapters ahead in my writing. Bad news, because of a new job my writing time has been cut back slightly so my posting schedule will be every two weeks or so. It just depends on what's going. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I look forward to hearing what you think.


	3. 2

**A/N: ** And we're back. Thanks to everyone's interest in story. My job ending up being super busy and then personal life got busy for while so I had to take a break from writing. Thankfully, I am back and working on the story so on with the show ….

**Chapter Two**

Lydia pressed the doorbell of the Derek's loft for the fourth time and received no answer. So, the next time she didn't release the buzzer until she heard the lock click and the door was pulled wide open by a blearily-eyed Isaac.

"Well, that certainly took you long enough." Isaac just blinked at the petite redhead. "Are you going to invite me in?" Lydia remarked with a raised brow at the werewolf's continued blank look she just huffed. "Oh, just get out the way," pushing the werewolf aside as she breezed in. She walked to the living room and sat down on the spacious beige sofa, which was a rather dignified sofa for someone like Derek. He seemed more like the type to have a used, beat-up old couch rather than a sofa. She suspected that it was probably more Genevieve's influence than anything Derek would select for himself. "As delightful as it is to look at this sofa could you inform Jackson, that just because we are officially on a break it's no excuse for him to stand me up and ignore my phone calls for day." She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her latest text messages paying no attention to Isaac.

"Lydia," Isaac grumbled confused as he scratched his head.

"That's my name." She said chidingly as texted Allison back.

"You're looking for Jackson?"

"Yes," Lydia drawled out. "I assumed he's here for some pack meeting or whatever it is you guys do out in the woods together." She replied dismissively before finally glancing up at the other teen to take in his appearance in a white t-shirt and rumbled pajama bottoms with his feet bare and hair in complete disarray. "Jackson better not have blown me off for some ridiculous adolescent sleepover."

Isaac merely blinked at her confused. "You're looking for Jackson?" He inquired again. "Here?"

"Yes," Lydia said succinctly as set her phone to the side to give Isaac her full attention. "We've covered this, _twice_ as a matter of fact. Yes," she repeated slowly. "I'm here for Jackson." Isaac seemed to be completely oblivious, which is something Jackson used to complaint about before he left on vacation. She typically thought was Jackson just being Jackson since she'd fortunately never had to spent any time with his pack. But now she could see that Jackson was right on the money about this, not that she'd ever admit that to him.

"Jackson's not here. And we haven't had a pack meeting."

"If Jackson's not here, then where is he?" Isaac simply shrugged, which as far as Lydia was concerned was not an answer. She rose to her feet. "Fine, when was the last time you saw him?"

"I don't know two months—"

"What?" Lydia snapped. "Jackson came home two days ago! Are you telling me, you haven't seen him since June?" Before Isaac had even opened his mouth to respond she interrupted him. "You know what, forget it! Where's your Alpha? Where's Derek?"

"Lydia," Isaac sighed wearily as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Derek is with Genevieve. You should probably ask him about Jackson."

"Believe me, I will." Lydia replied as she stomped toward the door and left the loft.

As the door slammed shut, Isaac debated calling Derek to let him know that Lydia was on the warpath for Jackson or going back to bed. In the end, sleep won out and he headed back to his bed.

* * *

><p>xXx<p>

Sheriff Stilinski entered his kitchen to grab his morning cup of coffee and was unsurprised to find his son already there. This summer, Stiles seemed to have a new focus. Diagnosed with ADD at a fairly young age, the Sheriff had come to recognize the signs of when he really needed to worry. And judging from the collection of huge, dusty old books that his son seemed to be steadily studying from with a single-minded focus, this definitely merited further watch.

He grabbed his cup of coffee and sat down at the table across from his son and watched as the teenager flipped another page in the book while blindly stuffing his mouth with another spoonful of cereal. Shaking his head he sipped from the hot brew, it's any wonder the kid had not gotten milk driblets all over the page with the amount of attention he's actually paying to the spoonfuls. "So … should I be concerned?"

"Hu-What!? Dad!" Stiles said jumping his spoon clattering in the near empty bowl nearly spill milk onto the book. He fumbled to catch any excess liquid while simultaneously trying to conceal what he was reading. '"Concerned about what?" Stiles finally replied smiling too wide to pull off the nonchalant shrug he attempted.

"About these ancient dictionaries you've taken to reading. Not mention the fact that you jacked up the AC. It's been working overtime just to keep up with the populations of dust you're fuming through air with every page turn. Is this something I will need to be worried about?" Sheriff Stilinski gestured toward the books that cluttered Stiles' side of the table. He didn't bother mentioned the time he'd come home to find his son sprinkling black dirt around the perimeter of the house or finding him burying herbs around the house. It was all very strange really.

"Pshh , Dad. This is just some light reading off summer reading list" Stiles' slowly swallowed his cereal. "It's just … some sciency stuff that I'm trying out. You know to help me stay on top of things this year. I mean, it is my junior year after all."

_Light reading, huh?_ Yeah right, not with his kid. "Since when do you actually read off the summer reading list?" The Sheriff asked settling his cup on the table to look at his son with dubiously questioning raised brows.

"What!? Now, you're complaining that I'm actually doing prep work for a class. Dad, I just don't know how you ever expect me to get into college if I don't buckle down some time to be studious. How—"

The sheriff stopped any further drabbles with a raised hand. "Alright, so you want me to believe that all this," he gestured to the piles of dusty books around Stiles. "Is just preparation for some class?"

"Y-yes. Yes it is and how dare you discredit my studious nature. I—

"What subject?

"Mm-what?"

"The subject, Stiles. What's the subject that has you studying so extensively?"

"Oh, you wanna know the subject?"

"Yes. And sometime today before you make my hair grow even grayer."

"Environmental science," Stiles clarified quickly.

"You sure about that chief?" Sheriff Stilinski narrowed his eyes at his son's confident nodding before calling him on his bullshit. "Stiles you got an A in your science class last year."

Stiles floundered for a minute before answering, "all the more reason to study … in preparation for the –uh-Herbology course that had Environmental Science class as a prerequisite."

"Uh huh."

"Well, how do you think I earned that A, without doing all this extra work?"

"Mm hmm."

The Sheriff traded looks with his son, doing extra credit wasn't all that surprising but Stiles rarely did it when he didn't have to. Before he could dig deeper, the phone rang. He rose with a sigh, and answered the phone. It was the station. "This is the Sheriff."

Stiles breathed a sigh of relief when his dad got up to answer the phone. His father was suspicious by nature and having to enlighten his Dad on why he buried wolfsbane or placed mountain ash around the perimeter of his house wasn't something he was looking forward to even trying to explain. He was quickly taken out of his thoughts however when he heard his father mention Jackson and missing. Subtly, he leaned forward to intently listen to his father's half of the conversation.

"Well, how long has he been gone? … Do they think he ran away? … Okay, keep me posted if the search party finds anything." The Sheriff met Stiles' gaze as he hung up the phone. "Stiles, I'm going to ask you this one time and I expect an actual honest answer from you."

"Dad—," Stiles started but drifted off by the serious look on his father's eyes.

" Not now. We'll discuss that later, believe me. But this is important, so don't lie to me Stiles, not about this. Where is Jackson Whittenmore?"

"I don't know."

"Stiles," the Sheriff snapped.

"Seriously, Dad I don't know where he is. I thought he was still on vacation. What's going on? Is he missing?"

"According to his parents, Jackson came home with his father two days ago. He went for a jog and hasn't been seen since. If you haven't seen him can you think of anywhere he might be?"

Stiles shook his head; his only thought was to check with Derek. But, he wasn't about to tell his father about the pack. "I can ask around, see if anybody has seen him."

"You do that." Sheriff Stilinski replied before he walked toward the stairs to finished getting dressed just as the doorbell rang. He changed directions and went to answer the front door. He was unsurprised to see the familiar sight of Lydia Martin on his doorstep. Every since the night of the lacrosse finals, the teenager was a familiar sight in his house. If it wasn't Scott than Lydia was usually at his door this early in the morning. "Morning, Lydia. He's in the kitchen."

"Good morning Sheriff," Lydia called after the older man as she watched take the stairs to change. She made a beeline down the hallway to the kitchen to see Stiles sitting at the table with several open tomes around him. "I need your help."

"Good morning to you to Lydia."

"Good morning, I need your help," Stiles rolled his eyes but gestured for her to take a seat, which she declined. "This is serious, Stiles, Jackson is missing."

"Yeah, I know."

"What? You know? How? I literally just told his _idiot _parents that he wasn't with me or at Danny's because his family isn't back from vacation yet."

"His parents must have called the station, my Dad was just notified. Given that the last time he was missing Scott and I had him, even if he wasn't the Sheriff they would have contacted him. Have you checked with Derek or the pack yet? Maybe Derek called a pack meeting." He suggested tracking Lydia's movement as she began to pace.

"I went there first but Isaac was no help. He didn't even know Jackson was back in town. And his parents didn't think anything of it when Jackson just disappeared the night they came back to town – how negligent is that?" Lydia asked as she ran a distracted hand through her hair.

"Did you actually talk to Derek?"

"No, I tried but he wasn't at home. He's with Genevieve apparently and—,"Stiles rose and grabbed her shoulders stopping her in her tracks.

"Lydia calm down and take a deep breath. If you think something's wrong then I believe you."

Lydia shuddered releasing a deep breath. "You believe me?"

"Of course, I trust your instincts and if you feel something is wrong then we look into it. In this town lately, a feeling is all the warning you get before the shit hits the fan. Let me get dressed then we'll go see Genevieve."

"Okay." Lydia said with a relieved nod as she stepped back to allow Stiles to go get changed.

* * *

><p>xXx<p>

Genevieve stormed up the stairs into her bedroom and yanked the bathroom door open. A cloud of steam hit her immediately in the open door way, revealing Derek's stark figure as he finished wrapping a towel around his waist.

The sight alone was almost enough to distract her before she remembered the phone is her hand. "You called my mother?" She asked, shaking said phone at him.

"What?" Derek said confused.

"Don't you _what_ me. We had a minor disagreement when I refused your _gracious_ offer to move in with you and your response is to call _my mother_!"

"That's not what happened."

"Then you'll need to explain it to me because I don't see how you could think that talking my mother about _our_ issues was a good call."

"Do you mind if I get dressed first?" He asked finally with an arched brow.

Genevieve arched a brow in return, causing Derek's brow to furl even further as his lips pursed and he widened his stance crossing his arms in response.

Genevieve stubbornly raised her chin, her eyes unwittingly trailed up and down his damp figure before meeting his mirth filled gaze and relenting.

"Fine, if you must. I'll be in the kitchen." Genevieve replied retracing her steps back to the kitchen, knowing that he would follow. A nude Derek was too much of a distraction.

Less than five minutes later, Derek entered the kitchen in jeans and a dark gray Henley. His hair which was slightly damp was pushed off his face. With raised hands he immediately plead his defense.

"First, I didn't call your mother about us. I called to ask some questions about pack dynamics with new wolves not bound familial bonds. She asked about the loft but I never said anything about you moving in or vice versa."

"Then, how did it come up?"

"It didn't, at least not with me. I've never talk to your mother about our relationship. But, just purely based on my observation if you were as defensive with her as you are with me she probably read between the lines."

Genevieve narrowed her eyes at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Derek ambled toward her until mere inches separated them as she leaned back against her island. "When you don't want to talk about something, you try to dismiss it as a joke. Then you become evasive and defensive whenever the topic is brought up, just like you're doing now."

She rolled her eyes snorting, "That's a surprisingly accurate assessment. And when did you become so good at reading me?"

Derek shrugged his shoulders. "I just happen to be a pretty observant guy." He nudged her chin up with his forefinger, his thumb caressing the soft skin there before his hand dropped to her waist. "So what did your mother say that's got you so upset?"

Genevieve smirked at the action.

"She asked why I was resistant to take my place in the pack by your side. She thinks that by living here," she gesturing to house. "And not in the loft, I'm sending you mixed signals. That I haven't officially accepted my role in the pack, which is obviously not the case."

"Alright. So, what is it then?"

"What do you mean? I've already told you—,"

"No," he countered interrupting her. "You actually didn't. You gave me some random excuse about not being married which is ridiculous because that's essentially what the bond is for people like us. Then, there was that thing about Isaac walking in on us—,"

"Hey, that wasn't an excuse."

"I didn't say it was. My point is that those are the only things you've told me. Not the actual deterrent that is preventing you from staying with me in the loft. That's what your mom and I are picking up on. So tell me what's really going on here?"

Genevieve averted her eyes from his beseeching gaze. She gently disconnected herself from his close form to move further down the island in attempt to take a few seconds to compose herself to answer the question. The truth was while she had reservations about moving with Derek it really had nothing to do with the pack or Isaac's presence and everything to do with her. "It's just … it's too much, if that makes sense."

She turned around to see the concern in his eyes. "I know with everything we've been through it seems like that more, but Derek, we've only actually been together for four months. Four months may seem like a long time to you but to me it's just four months."

"And?" He asked with a raised brow in confusion.

"Derek we've been moving really fast together and it's just too much, too soon. And before we cross that bridge of moving in together I want to get settled into the idea of us as a couple."

"Are you kidding?"

"No, why would you think I'm kidding."

"Genevieve, you're not exactly living alone now. My clothes are in your closet, one of my cars is in your garage. Not to mention that you haven't slept alone since I bit you. So exactly how aren't we living together?"

"That's exactly my point. It's like we bypassed a significant part of relationship building. We haven't really even been on a real date. I can't explain it. Technically, I know we're kind of living together. But, I have lived alone and on my own since I was 17 years old. That kind of independence is very hard to give up and now I'm in the middle of a committed relationship without having a chance to really get used to being more than just _me_ to part of _us_."

"I never asked for that." Derek replied quietly. "I knew who you were when we started this and I never asked for you to give any of that up for me or for the pack." He shifted closely until he framed her face between his hands, caressing her cheek. "Genevieve, the only thing I want from you is you."

"I know. I" she started only to break off at the sound of the doorbell being rang repeatedly. She shared an exasperated look with Derek at the interruption. "… Should get that." She said as the doorbell rang urgently twice more before she turned and left the kitchen to answer the door. To her surprise when she pulled open the door, Stiles and a shaken Lydia were there. "Lydia, Stiles, what's wrong?"

"It's Jackson, he's missing." Lydia replied.

"Come inside," Genevieve held the door open and waited for the teens to follow her to the living room where Derek had stood waiting. "Why do you think Jackson is missing?"

"We don't think it, we know it. His parents called my Dad, who questioned me and we have no idea where is he." Stiles added unsurprised to see Derek there with Genevieve.

"I thought he wasn't due back until Monday."

"He was but his Dad had meeting that he couldn't reschedule so he came back on Thursday. We were supposed to have a date but when he stood me up for what I figured was pack thing. Only Isaac told me this morning that he hadn't seen Jackson and his parents thought he was with Danny when he didn't come home. Danny's not in town."

Genevieve nodded quietly, her eyes meeting Derek's across the room; she knew that they were both thinking the same thing. The only way a werewolf could fall off the radar with the pack bond and not cause any fluctuation in the bond was if they were injured but alive. And given the danger surrounding the Hale Pack due to the imminent arrival of the Alpha Pack, Jackson's disappearance was not at all innocuous. This wasn't some teenager going off radar to hang with his friends. This was a deliberate and calculated action to weaken the prevailing pack. The Alpha Pack had arrived in Beacon Hills.

"Look, we know it's a lot to ask. But, you always telling us to trust our instincts and mine are screaming that something is wrong and Jackson is in trouble. And we need to find him before its too late." Lydia continued as she observed the glances between Genevieve and Derek.

"We believe you. Derek and I will find Jackson," Genevieve said as she broke her gaze with Derek and reached out to give Lydia's hand a squeeze in comfort. "You and Stiles should go and talk to Scott to let him know what's going on."

"Okay, but how are you going to find Jackson? No offense but my Dad has had a search team out for hours and they haven't found anything."

"We've got something they don't have."

"What, a superior sense of smell," Stiles scoffed at Derek.

"No, my dick it acts as dividing rod, you little dipshit," Derek's eyes flashed red. "I'm his alpha I'll find him."

"Wow that was super unnecessary." Stiles remarked.

"Anyway," Genevieve started ignoring the other Alpha's crass comment to Stiles. "Derek can track any member of his pack." Genevieve explained as she walked the teens to the door. "We'll call you if—when we find him." As soon as they exited her house, she returned to the living room where Derek was in the process of pulling on his shoes.

"It's the Alphas, it has to be."

"I agree but what are you planning to do? You can't just go blindly looking for Jackson it could be a trap."

He paused to glance at her. "What do you suggest then? You heard Lydia; they've had him for two days without anyone knowing. You've told me that Lydia's instincts are strong and rarely wrong. We have to find him now."

"Derek, you know how Deucalion operates, he doesn't just take a pack member. He _always_ warns first to give the Alpha the opportunity to join him. We need to be smart about this and think before we go off half-cocked and someone gets hurt."

Derek sighed. "You're right."

"We have to think like the Alphas. Everything I've ever been told about Deucalion is that he is very methodical – he wants to get your attention to let you know he's in your territory."

"By doing what?"

"I don't know. Interrupt a pack meeting, encroach on your territory, take a hostage—,"

"That's it."

"What is?"

"Encroach on my territory."

"Why-how are you so sure?"

"Instinct, but more than that, while, I've never met him, Laura did. The only thing that she would ever say about him before the fire is that he envious of our territory because it was so vast and has been in my family for years. He coveted it. To hear Peter tell it, he wanted my mother and the land she came with."

Genevieve nodded thinking it through. "That makes sense I guess. But if he wanted to say make statement that Alpha Pack is here, where would he put it?"

"The house."

"Then, that's where we should go first. I'll get my shoes and then we can go." Genevieve said as she walked to the closet and pulled out a pair of boots when she noticed her jogging shoes in the back of the closet. "Derek, I think I have an idea." She dropped the boots for the jogging shoes and closed the door.

Twenty minutes later they were running side-by-side through the woods to get to the old Hale house. To keep up appearances' for the story they would tell if they found Jackson, they both changed into appropriate jogging gear.

They slowed down as they came upon the clearing just in front of the Hale house. "Can you feel him?"

Derek scanned the area around them searching for any life signs. As they were within a few feet of the porch, he saw a body laying the on porch. "There's a body on the porch, it has to be him."

"Are you sure?" Genevieve asked breathlessly as she attempted to narrow her eyes to see if it was him.

Derek stopped to breath in deeply taking in the scents in the air around him. He filtered all but one familiar scent and honed in on it blocking everything else out. "It's him but there's a taint on it." He ran to the steps of porch putting a hand out to stop Genevieve from following him.

"Tainted how?"

Derek closed his eyes and took a deep breath inhaling the scent surrounding Jackson's prone body and this time he detected a hint of blood under the taint. He opened his eyes at glanced her, beseeching her to stay back. "Let me examine him and see what it is, first."

Genevieve nodded and held her position as she noted the seriousness in Derek's face and eyes. "I'll wait here."

Derek walked up the stairs to see Jackson unconscious lying on his back. His eyes were closed and his skin was pale. He was dressing in jogging shorts but his shirt was shredded and stained red. He gently lifted the edge of the shirt and the discovered the cause of the taint and the blood coming off of the teen. "Jesus," he muttered.

"What? What is it?" Genevieve asked from her position at the bottom of the stairs.

"What's wrong?"

"You were right; they were definitely leaving me a message."

"What do you mean?"

"Take a look at this?" Derek waved her forward and she bounded up the stairs walking to the other side of Jackson's body.

"Is that what I think it is?" Genevieve asked as she slowly knelt next to the body to examine the symbol for the Alpha Pack that had been savagely carved into Jackson's chest. The symbol was a mix of black pus and blood. She gingerly touched the angry red, scarring that was left on Jackson's chest. "Can you wake him up?"

"I can try why?"

"Since his parents reported him missing we'll have to call the police to let them know we found them. If he's conscious, it'll be less that wel have to explain. He can decline medical assistance; we can take him to the loft and get Alan to help heal him."

Derek placed his hand on Jackson's arm. "Jackson, wake up." There was no response so he tried again this time placing both hands on Jackson and calling him. Again there was no response. So he tried one more time with both hands on Jackson and his eyes bleeding red as he allowed the full force of his Alpha's mantle to cede into his voice. "Jackson. Wake up."

Jackson's eyes shot open and he began gasping for breath. Then, nothing.

"He's going into cardiac arrest." Genevieve said as she added her hands to Derek's on Jackson's chest. "Hold him down," she ordered before closing her eyes and channeling her ability willing the electricity to revive Jackson. He convulsed once and then again. She was so intent on honing her ability on Jackson to save his life that she didn't realize that his heart had slowly began beating beneath her fingertips. It was only when he was breathing normally that she opened her eyes and saw Derek watching her with surprised on his face. "He's alive."

"Your eyes," Derek mumbled as he watched Genevieve eyes shift from a vibrate swirling silver to her normal brown.

"What?"

"Whatever you did worked." Derek said as he released Jackson to shift onto his feet as he watch the black pus and blood slowly fade away as the wound on Jackson's healed itself. "What now?"

"Now, we call the sheriff." She took her phone out of a pocket arm band and dialed 911.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts? <strong>

The next update should be in a couple of weeks if not sooner.


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